Readers' comments

I'm a Coloradan and will likely vote for Bennet and Hickenlooper for Senator and Governor.

I think Bennet is capable, hard-working and well-intentioned.

Hickenlooper is creative and energetic and has done a good job managing Denver. It is remarkable how he has reduced conflict in the city during his time as Mayor. Prior to his election we had much higher rates of violence, gangs and police brutality.

My only complaint about Colorado Dems is that they are male-dominated (Gary Hart, Tom Strickland, Ritter, Hickenlooper and now Bennet). It is long-past the time that they started including more female candidates at the upper levels (I don't have the personality for politics or I'd do it).

I think their weakness in female representation is their only real liability in this election.

The Dems and Pres. Obama had a huge mess to deal with. While their performance has been problematic in certain ways, I think they will do better and better with time. Let's provide them constructive help and not "angry, independent" bashing, eh?

I believe you hit the nail on the head. Just looking at the comments even here on the _Economist_ and you can see that there is no more room for intelligent discourse in American politics.

I truly fear that we are heading for an honestly major crisis in the next 30 years - either a manufactured war with China, a civil war, or the dominance of an ideologically "pure" party ala 1933 Germany...with all it's attendant consequences.

Honestly, compare the typical newscast on Fox with a Goebbel's newsreel and try and point out the differences.

You hit the nail on the head. Colorado is becoming more urban and suburban. The city populations are beginning to outnumber the rural. In addition you have resort type areas that attract lefty types. Those people live in a politically correct world disconnected from reality. Sorry, but if the trend continues, as it likely will, Colorado will become a full fledged blue state.

There are two demographic groups in Colorado with differing values: suburban and rural. If one lives in a concrete and asphalt jungle, one tends to believe that all largess flows from a beneficent and patriarchal government. If one resides in a rural setting, one tends to accept that nothing will be achieved without one's own efforts. Thus, election outcomes in Colorado will continue to be schizophrenic depending upon demographic voter turn-out.

Viewing the national scene, the Colorado electorate has been reminded that one of the few characteristics that separates the United States from a "Banana Republic" is fiscal and monetary sustainability. At some point, even the most deluded, jaded, and cynical American liberal will realize that additional government spending is counter-productive to their personal well-being.

Obama has misled America. We thought he was a Centrist. His policies have proven that he is a leftist radical. In his first year in office, President Obama has conducted more deficit spending that any leader in the history of the world, while enjoying 160 sumptuous flights above his private jet, Air Force One. Colorado voters are not likely to forget such impetuous profligacy.

If America is so ready to swing back into the Republican fold of believing in fantasy, making war on brown skinned people and financial anarchy, then we Americans are idiots and deserve what we have coming.

Republican politicians are a morally sick group of people, and those who support them are fools.

I am starting to come under the opinion that the USA is fraying apart politically.

Americans are caught in a cycle of voting for republicans, realizing that they are bad, then voting for democrats, realizing that they are ineffective, then going back to the republican, then democrats and so forth.

This has been going on for sometime now but the cycle has really sped up recently. It leads me wonder if everything is going to fly apart if this goes any faster.

All the talk of Colorado becoming a more Democratic leaning state after Ritter's election and Colorado voting for Obama is silly. Both Ritter and Obama won because their opposition provided poor candidates (Bob B. and McCain-Palin). Coloradans are independent thinkers and vote for the candidates that best align with their principles. I don't believe the state is fundamentally changing those principles to lean one way or another.

McInnis would be trailing Ritter in the poll, even though Ritter is not in the race anymore. LOL. McInnis hast to first get buy Dan Maes...it will never happen. Why do you think McInnis won't debate Dan? Why is he hiding? Oh Scott....come out come out wherever you are.